UK Navigates Into New Golden Age Of Shipbuilding With 28 UK-Built Warships & Submarines

The British defence minister, Grant Shapps, said the UK has ordered up to six warships for the Royal Marines as the government starts indicating where a recently declared increase in defence spending will be directed.

Rishi Sunak, the British PM, announced in April 2024 that he would raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP each year by 2030, stating that Britain’s arms industry must be on a “war footing” when the world is at its most dangerous phase since the Cold War.

Shapps declared on Tuesday that the upcoming vessels, referred to as Multi-Role Support Ships, will be constructed in Britain and will aid in strengthening Britain’s special operations amphibious commando force.

In 2022, the government said it would build new vessels for the Royal Marines.

The complete plan currently calls for eight Type 26 Frigates, the first three of which are slated to enter service before 2030, and five Type 31 Frigates.

Two Astute class submarines are also under development, and four Dreadnought class submarines are planned for the UK’s nuclear arsenal.

Three support vessels are set to begin development next year, with delivery by 2031.

They emphasised that the shipbuilding work involves firms from around the country.

The Type 31 and Type 26 are being constructed in Scotland, the submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, England, and the fleet support vessels in Belfast, Devon, Northern Ireland, and England.

Shapps informed the BBC that the country could do so as the money had been pledged to the defence.

The six vessels are part of an initiative of 28 ships and submarines underway or in the pipeline for the British Navy, which Shapps said was representative of a new Golden Age for Britain’s shipbuilding.

BAE Systems, Britain’s most outstanding military contractor, and another UK defence firm, Babcock, are among the firms building those 28 vessels.

Reference: Reuters

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Source: Maritime Shipping News